Mirror Sight: Book Five of Green Rider

Karigan G'ladheon is a Green Rider - a seasoned member of the elite messenger corps of King Zachary of Sacoridia. King Zachary sends Karigan and a contingent of Sacoridians beyond the edges of his nation, into the mysterious Blackveil Forest, which has been tainted with dark magic by a twisted immortal spirit named Mornhavon the Black.

Closer to the Chest: The Herald Spy, Book Three

Herald Mags, the King of Valdemar's Herald-Spy, has been developing a clandestine network of young informants who operate not only on the streets of the capital city of Haven but also in the Great Halls and kitchens of the wealthy and highborn. In his own established alternate personas, Mags observes the Court and the alleys alike, quietly gathering information to keep Haven and the Kingdom safe.

Den of Wolves: Blackthorn & Grim, Book 3

Healer Blackthorn knows all too well the rules of her bond to the fey: seek no vengeance, help any who ask, do only good. But after the recent ordeal she and her companion, Grim, have suffered, she knows she cannot let go of her quest to bring justice to the man who ruined her life.

Ink Mage: A Fire Beneath the Skin, Book 1

In the first installment of the A Fire Beneath the Skin trilogy, the city of Klaar has never fallen. No enemy has ever made it across the Long Bridge or penetrated the city's mighty walls. Even when a powerful invading army shows up at the gates, the duke and his daughter, Rina Veraiin, are certain that it poses little threat. But they are cruelly betrayed from within and, in a horrific spasm of violence, the city is brought to its knees.

To Green Angel Tower: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Book 3

The evil minions of the undead Sithi Storm King are beginning their final preparations for the kingdom-shattering culmination of their dark sorceries, drawing King Elias ever deeper into their nightmarish, spell-spun world. As the Storm King's power grows and the boundaries of time begin to blur, the loyal allies of Prince Josua struggle to rally their forces at the Stone of Farewell.

Forging Divinity: The War of Broken Mirrors, Book 1

Some say that in the city of Orlyn, godhood is on sale to the highest bidder. Thousands flock to the city each year, hoping for a chance at immortality. Lydia Hastings is a knowledge sorcerer, capable of extracting information from anything she touches. When she travels to Orlyn to validate the claims of the local faith, she discovers a conspiracy that could lead to a war between the world's three greatest powers. At the focal point is a prisoner who bears a striking resemblance to the long-missing leader of the pantheon she worships.

Rhapsody: Child of Blood

Rhapsody is a woman, a singer of some talent who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage--one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world.

Paladin

Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam of Haywood is the most promising Paladin trainee in the kingdom of Thule. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the 17th duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she'll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel in distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery.

Crown of Vengeance: The Dragon Prophecy, Book 1

She does not have a thousand lifetimes. She has just one - and time is running out. For the prophecy spoke not just of her, but of a great Darkness that would destroy the elven kingdoms. A Darkness that is coming ever closer. She is Vieliessar Farcarinon and she must save her people. Even if she must shatter custom and destroy the world she was born to rule.

Dreamer's Pool: Blackthorn & Grim, Book 1

In exchange for help escaping her long and wrongful imprisonment, embittered magical healer Blackthorn has vowed to set aside her bid for vengeance against the man who destroyed all that she once held dear. Followed by a former prison mate, a silent hulk of a man named Grim, she travels north to Dalriada. There she'll live on the fringe of a mysterious forest, duty bound for seven years to assist anyone who asks for her help. Oran, crown prince of Dalriada, has waited anxiously for the arrival of his future bride, Lady Flidais.

Paths of Alir: A Pattern of Shadow and Light, Book 3

Powerful beings from the fringes of Chaos have come to the realm of Alorin. Fate bends to their will, and their will is set upon Alorin's destruction. Alone in understanding the threat they pose, Alorin's Fifth Vestal, Björn val Gelderan, has launched a desperate plan to stop them: a "great game" played upon the tapestry of mortal life. Now, in Paths of Alir, Björn's Players have taken the field.

Magic Binds: Kate Daniels, Book 9

Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she's faced could have prepared her for this.... Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar.... Kate's father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power.

Cast in Flight: Chronicles of Elantra, Book 12

Private Kaylin Neya already has Dragons and Barrani as roommates. Adding one injured, flightless Aerian to her household should be trivial. Sure, the Aerian is Sergeant Moran dar Carafel, but Kaylin's own sergeant is a Leontine, the definition of growly and fanged. She can handle one Aerian. But when a walk to the Halls of Law becomes a street-shattering magical assassination attempt on the sergeant, Kaylin discovers that it's not the guest who's going to be the problem.

Schooled in Magic

Emily is a teenage girl pulled from our world into a world of magic and mystery by a necromancer who intends to sacrifice her to the dark gods. Rescued in the nick of time by an enigmatic sorcerer, she discovers that she possesses magical powers and must go to Whitehall School to learn how to master them. There, she learns that the locals believe she is a "Child of Destiny" - someone whose choices might save or damn their world, a title that earns her both friends and enemies.

The Way into Chaos: The Great Way, Book 1

The city of Peradain is the heart of an empire built with steel, spears, and a monopoly on magic...until in a single day it falls, overthrown by a swarm of supernatural creatures of incredible power and ferocity. Neither soldier nor spell caster can stand against them. The empire's armies are crushed, its people scattered, its king and queen killed. Freed for the first time in generations, city-states scramble to seize neighboring territories and capture imperial spell casters.

Dawn of Wonder: The Wakening, Book 1

When a high-ranking officer gallops into the quiet Mistyvales, he brings a warning that shakes the countryfolk to their roots. But for Aedan, a scruffy young adventurer with veins full of fire and a head full of ideas, this officer is not what he seems. The events that follow propel Aedan on a journey that only the foolhardy or desperate would risk, leading him to the gates of the nation's royal academy - a whole world of secrets in itself. But this is only the beginning of his discoveries.

Cephrael's Hand: A Pattern of Shadow and Light, Book 1

In Alorin...300 years after the genocidal Adept Wars, the realm is dying, and the blessed Adept race dies with it. One man holds the secret to reverting this decline: Bjorn van Gelderan, a dangerous and enigmatic man whose shocking betrayal three centuries past earned him a traitor's brand. It is the Adept Vestal Raine D'Lacourte's mission to learn what Bjorn knows in the hope of salvaging his race. But first he'll have to find him....

Godsland Epic Fantasy Bundle: Godsland Series, Books 1 Through 9

Catrin Volker dreams of a peaceful life training horses. It's not to be. Comets appear in the night skies, announcing the return of a goddess. While trying to save her friend from bullies, Catrin unknowingly triggers powerful, ancient magic and fulfills a prophecy that says she will destroy entire nations. Her quest for peace captures the imagination with fantastical landscapes, magic, and dragons.

Free the Darkness: King's Dark Tidings, Book 1

Raised and trained in seclusion at a secret fortress on the edge of the northern wilds of the Kingdom of Ashai, a young warrior called Rezkin is unexpectedly thrust into the outworld when a terrible battle destroys all that he knows. With no understanding of his life’s purpose and armed with masterful weapons mysteriously bestowed upon him by a dead king, Rezkin must travel across Ashai to find the one man who may hold the clues to his very existence.

Cast in Shadow: Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1

Seven years ago Kaylin fled the crime-riddled streets of Nightshade, knowing that something was after her. Children were being murdered— and all had the same odd markings that mysteriously appeared on her own skin….Since then, she's learned to read, she's learned to fight and she's become one of the vaunted Hawks who patrol and police the City of Elantra. Alongside the winged Aerians and the immortal Barrani, she's made a place for herself, far from the mean streets of her birth.

Koban: Conflict and Empire

The Galactic Federation is confronted by the vast and implacable Thandol Empire, which has coveted the former Krall region of space for eons, a region of space now occupied and claimed by the upstart Kobani. Outnumbered, they face an opponent who possesses new and deadly weapons. An enemy that had thousands of years to develop the means to take on the Krall Empire, and now present the supermen with a weapon that turns their greatest genetic asset into their greatest weakness.

The Summer Dragon: First Book of The Evertide

Maia and her family raise dragons for the political war machine. As she comes of age, she anticipates a dragon of her own to add to the stable of breeding parents. Her peaceful life is shattered when the Summer Dragon - one of the rare and mythical High Dragons - makes an appearance in her quiet valley. Political factions vie for control of the implied message, threatening her aspirations, her aerie, her entire way of life.

Ancient Magic: Dragon's Gift: The Huntress, Book 1

Cass Clereaux is good at two things: finding treasure and killing demons. Lying low is a close third - but not because she wants to be good at hiding. Cass is a FireSoul, one of the unlucky few to inherit a piece of a dragon's soul. On the surface, the perks are sweet - she has the power to find and steal any type of magical treasure, including the powers of other supernaturals. But it doesn't come without a price; stealing powers requires that she kill, and others would destroy her if they discover what she is.

Publisher's Summary

Karigan G’ladheon, running away from school, is traveling through a deep forest when a galloping horse pounds up to her, its rider impaled by two black-shafted arrows. With his dying breath, he tells her he is a Green Rider, one of the magical messengers of the King. Before he dies, he makes Karigan swear to deliver the message he’s carrying, and gives her his green coat, with the symbolic brooch of his office.

Pursued by unknown assassins, following a path only her horse seems to know, Karigan becomes a legendary Green Rider—for when given to the right person, a Rider’s brooch awakens the magic inside.

So, overall I really enjoyed listening to this, much more than I expected. It seems that the concept of the Green Rider was taken from the pages of Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series, except it presents a much more realistic presentation of the position, social relationships, and politics (it also helps that Britain is a better writer).

Yes, it's probably a fantasy written to appeal to those just getting into the genre, but there's nothing wrong with that. I appreciated that the main character was more in depth and rounded than the angsty teen runaway I was expecting. She was a strong, convincing female character without overdoing it.

While I somewhat agree with some above comments that it never felt like our leading lady was any 'real' danger, she does have an extensive adventure and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Some things could have been better; the pacing was occasionally jumpy, and it felt like there were 3-4 climaxes which *almost* made the story too long, but I'm just nitpicking here.

This story was a great adventure. The narrator was excellent and made all the voices unique and very easy to follow along with. Strong female protagonist, a lot of action, a good mix of magic, great cast of characters. If you liked The Hunger Games, Green, and The Percy Jackson Series then you will definitely enjoy this series. Suitable for mid teens and older for violence and suggestive content.

This is the first book in a fantasy series that is centered around a young girl coming of age. She is forced through some extreme situations that change her life and guide her destiny. She didn't go looking for the adventure and danger that threatened and nearly took her life, but it found her. This is such a great listen that you are not going to what to stop. You are going to have to find out if she gets through each danger alright. If she does make it through, will she be harmed? Will her most trusted companion make it through or offer the greatest sacrifice to save her? Will she embrace her destiny and complete her mission or was it all a big mistake and a waste of time that costs her everything? You'll have to listen to find out. It's such a great listen that you can not be disappointed.

i started out by reading the book. i began reading it to my husband, who is disabled and finds it hard to read now. once he realized he liked it he asked for an audio copy so he could listen to it while i was at work. pretty soon the whole family was listening & trying not to give spoilers to those that had not got to certain parts. it became fun to talk about it and work out story points when together.

Medieval epic fantasy told in 3rd person POV, mainly from the perspective of the heroine, but also from a villain's POV. A solid story. Entertaining but not outstanding. Excellent narration, though! Superb performance by Archer. Family safe, too. No sex or swearing. There is a map on the Web, but it's blurry.

There is a plot to overthrow the king of Sacoridia. On her canny horse, Karigan must ride like the wild hunt to deliver a message to the beleaguered king, but first she has to deal with deadly creatures of black magic and relentless sword-masters. Thankfully, she's been given a few magical artifacts and (some) special training to help her overcome several realistically grim and painful attacks.

Characterization is okay. Karigan, a young woman in her first year at university, was a reluctant but dutiful heroine. I liked her well enough, despite some whining (with cause) and some carping about snobbish aristocrats. I grew tired of her denial: “I’m NOT a Green Rider!" Hopefully, that inner-struggle won't continue for long in book 2.

Karigan as heroine wasn't quite a Mary Sue. She suffered. Was captured. Nearly gave up. But too often, she alone won the battles, because she journeyed alone — with some good exceptions. Her learning curve was steep, but Audible authors John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice), Jim Butcher (Codex Alera) and Brian Fuller (Trismoon) do a better job portraying a developing skill set. Having said that, I liked how Karigan learned to wield a sword, with help from an unexpected source (but success occurred too quickly).

Good secondary characters. I liked her visit with the Berry sisters, Bay and Bunch, and with the gigantic forester, Abram. Jendara the female sword-master mercenary was quite interesting, as was another woman: Laren Mapstone the battle-scarred captain of the Green Rider organization. Then there's King Zachary, young, betrayed, but brave and wise. Also the ghosts, with arrows in their backs. I felt for them, including F'ryan, the Green Rider who charged Karigan to complete his delivery, just before he died. The villain Merwell was also interesting, and textured. The other villain (Gray One) was just a cardboard figure. No idea what motivated him to be so evil.

It bugged me that the Green Riders received minimal respect, even from the king's own guards. I compare this with the solid respect the King's Rangers (similar to Green Riders) receive in Flanagan's series, beginning with The Ruins of Gorlan.

I see that the sequels are quite long, ranging from about 650-900 pages. Not sure if I'm invested in the characters or the plot enough. Long books tend to annoy me — flaws acceptable in shorter books begin to stand out. Often times, lengthy books meander and contain filler. They frequently suffer from excessive internal dialogue, too, and irritating reiterations of events covered in the previous books (as if readers forget). But I might give it a go.

I had not heard of this author or this series before but my wife found the paperback in a used book store. And boy am I glad!

Britain creates a great world filled with wonderful characters. The action is compelling. For me, I simply MUST like the characters (good or evil) or a book is a failure, especially the main character. I loved just about all of them, especially the main character.

The writing keeps you engaged and the story keep you anticipating. The dialogue is natural and advances the story. In short, it's everything I can ask for in a novel.

Ellen Archer is a great performer! She portrays each character well and you never wonder which one is talking. Her portrayal of the male characters works and they do not sound like adolescent boys (a problem with some female readers.)

The true test: I already bought the next book in the series and I can't wait to read it.

This is a fun, well written book for adults and young people. It's not geared to children at all but there is no language to overlook and no sex. Now if that sounds a bit boring, don't let it turn you off, because Kristen Britain is a wonderful story teller and Ellen Archer is a fabulous narrator. She does multiple voices, each very different, well acted. This is a first book that has lots of room to grow in the future. The concept of the Green Riders is new and it mixes women and men together so it can be enjoyed by both. It has lots of intrigue, fast paced adventure, and fantasy. I am so glad there are 4 more books to look forward to!